Toothbrush



June 19, 1934.V R. W VARDEMAN 1,963,389

TOOTHBRUSH Filed May 8. 1931 INVENTOR.

I /v l 'Z ATTO l EY Patented June 19, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOOTHBRUSH Application May 8, 1931, Serial No. 535,836

2 Claims.

This invention relates to tooth brushes and has for its general object to produce a tooth brush of composition material containing the necessary elements to provide a medicated brush having cooling and deodorizing effects on the mouth; a brush which may be sterilized Without injury to the bristles and which is a good cleaner for the teeth and massager for the gums. The base of the brush is preferably made of rubber, although it may be of any more orless resilient material, to which has been added a suitable agent to prevent squeaking or noise upon the application of the brush to the teeth.

A further object of the invention is to produce a composition tooth brush having Wedge-shaped teeth for ready penetration between adjacent teeth for the eiiicient cleaning of all cracks and crevices.

Another object is to produce a two-part brush made of more or less porous character in which a suitable deodorant and gum cooling or soothing agent has been incorporated for release as the teeth of the brush are Worn in service, it being possible to permanently utilize the handle and substitute a new brush from time to time as wear occurs.

With the general objects named in view, and others as will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel and useful features of construction as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure l is a side elevation of a brush embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a face view of the same.

Figure 3 is a section through the brush head.

Figure 4 is a View of the brush head and handle in disassembled relation.

Figure 5 is a 'section on the line V-V of Figure 3.

The tooth brush of the invention comprises a back portion l and teeth 2 integral therewith, said teeth being arranged in three rows with the center row staggered as illustrated, the teeth of the brush having their upper or operating ends formed in a curve for better accommodation to the mouth of a user, and having square bases and tapering upwardly to wedge shape points as shown.

The brush is made of any suitable resilient material, preferably rubber. However, rubber brushes have been found objectionable because' they produce a noise when used on the teeth, and

in order to overcome this objection, the rubber is impregnated with fine wool fibers, or other cushioning material, as it has been found that this treatment effectively overcomes and reduces the noise which has heretofore prevented the adoption of a composition tooth brush, and makes the brush soft or velvet-like to the touch, as it has been found that the wool fibers carbonize upon vulcanization of the brush. To assist the sounddeadening fibers in holding the molded brush together before vulcanization, a small amount of 55 cotton and/or silk fibers are incorporated as a binder and also as an absorbent agent, together with whitening material if desired, and ground sea shells or pumice as an abrasive or tooth cleaning agent. This entire mass is milled together with a small quantity of medicinal or deordorizing oil, such as menthol and peppermint, as it has been found that the completed brush is more or less porous, due to the formation of a. very large quantity of small cavities or crevices, and the absorption qualities of tht` cotton or Vegetable fibers, in which the oil is trapped, and as the brush is worn by use, these cavities and the impregnated fibers are opened or exposed to release a further supply of the oil which has a cooling and sweetening effect on the mouth of the user as well as a slight germicidal action and deodorizing action.

The composition material as thus prepared is molded with a center passage 3 for detachable en- 35 gagement with the reduced end 4 of a suitable handle 5, it being noted that the portion 4 is formed at its end with an enlargement or bead 6 so that the brush head shall be rightly maintained in position on the handle. With such a construction it will be obvious that the brush may be removed when worn, and a new brush head substituted.

The proportions of the ingredients, the molding temperature and pressure, and the like, may be g5 varied within reasonable limits so that a hard or a soft brush, or a brush which will give longer or shorter wear Will be produced. For example, the following proportions have been found to produce a suitable brush: 10G

Wool 1 pound Cotton 1/2 pound Silk 1A; pound Rubber 10 pounds 105 Whitening 7 pounds Essential oil 1/2 oz.

Sea shells or pumice 2 pounds Fromthe above description it'will be apparent that I have produced a device possessing all of the features set forth as desirable, and While I have described and claimed the preferred embodiment of the invention, I reserve the right to make all changes properly falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A tooth brush comprising vulcanized rub.

ber, and a medicated brous material incorporated in nely comminuted form throughout the rubber, the brush composition being adapted to tear and fur in use to expose fresh areas of medicated 

